Have you ever heard of an ecommerce virtual assistant?

If you are looking to expand your client base and grow your business, becoming an ecommerce virtual assistant might just be it.

Ecommerce business owners are in constant need of support to manage their online stores, handle customer inquiries, and drive sales. 

A lot of ecommerce business owners know their onions when it comes to their niche, but don’t know much when it comes to running their business online. Selling to a walk-in customer is different from selling to an online customer. An online customer can easily be distracted by a dancing cat video or a toddler who just poured water on the bed. So things are different.

By offering specialized services tailored to the needs of ecommerce businesses, you can position yourself as a valuable asset and attract high-paying virtual assistant clients. 

In this post, I’ll share 12 essential virtual assistant services that ecommerce business owners need help with, along with tips and strategies to help you land your dream ecommerce clients and build a thriving business.

Ready?

Here are 12 Services You Can Offer As An Ecommerce Virtual Assistant 

1. Customer Service and Support

Have you ever thought about what happens when a customer lands on an ecommerce website, eager to make a purchase?

They may have questions about shipping, product details, etc.

This is where you, the ecommerce virtual assistant, can swoop in to save the day. Providing timely and friendly customer service is crucial for ecommerce businesses to build trust and loyalty with their customers.

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you can handle customer inquiries, address concerns, process orders, and resolve issues via email, chat, or phone. By offering exceptional customer service, you’ll not only keep customers happy but also drive repeat business and referrals for your clients. That alone is a no brainer. Every business would want an asset like that.

2. Order Processing and Fulfillment

Although a virtual assistant works remotely, some ecommerce businesses might need help in this area. Order processing and fulfillment is what happens behind the scenes when a customer clicks “Buy Now” on an ecommerce website.

An ecommerce business owner can rely on you to manage the entire order processing and fulfillment process, from receiving orders to packaging products and coordinating shipments with logistics providers.

All that can be done online from the comfort of your home or under a tree. As long as you have access to the Internet. You can reach out to various teams who maybe working on-site to ensure things go well.

You’ll be behind the scenes, ensuring that orders are processed accurately and efficiently, and customers receive their purchases on time. With your help, ecommerce businesses can streamline their operations and deliver a seamless shopping experience to their customers.

3. Product Listing and Management

Almost everyone with a smartphone or electronic device has shopped online at least once in their life. 

The products don’t magically appear online with photos and everything. 

Ecommerce business owners need help with listing the product, uploading the product photos, and implementing SEO for each product to ensure it can be found when people randomly search online.

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that product listings are accurate, up-to-date, and optimized to attract potential buyers. By showcasing products in the best possible light, you’ll help ecommerce businesses drive traffic and increase sales.

4. Inventory Management

There are two types of ecommerce businesses. An ecommerce business may sell physical or digital products. 

With digital products inventory management is not always required because the product isn’t tangible.

On the other hand, physical products require inventory. Imagine running a business without knowing how much stock you have on hand. 

Imagine accepting payments for stuff you don’t have, from customers who need their products within an hour.

Chaos, right? 

That’s where inventory management comes in. 

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you will track inventory levels, update stock counts, and even reorder products as needed. With your help, ecommerce businesses can avoid going out of stock, avoid overstocking, optimize inventory turnover, and improve cash flow. 

By keeping a close eye on inventory levels and implementing efficient inventory management practices, you’ll help ecommerce businesses operate more effectively and profitably.

5. Website Maintenance and Updates

Like any type of website, your favorite ecommerce website isn’t just a static page – it’s a living, breathing entity that requires regular maintenance and updates to stay relevant and competitive. 

Ecommerce business owners need help with updating website content, uploading new products, optimizing for search engines, and even troubleshooting technical issues. 

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you’ll be the manager of the website, ensuring that it runs smoothly, loads quickly, and provides a seamless shopping experience for customers. By keeping the website up-to-date, and l  user-friendly, you’ll help ecommerce businesses attract and retain customers and stay ahead of the competition. 

Is this already sounding like something you’d love to help ecommerce business owners with?

There’s more.

6. Social Media Management

Social media is a powerful tool for ecommerce businesses to connect with customers, showcase their products, and drive sales. 

Ecommerce business owners need help with managing their social media accounts, creating engaging content, scheduling posts, connecting with their community and analyzing social media metrics. 

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you’ll be the voice behind the brand, engaging with followers, liking, commenting, responding to comments, and building relationships with customers. 

By crafting compelling content and fostering meaningful interactions, you’ll help ecommerce businesses increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads.

7. Email Marketing

Email marketing brings high returns for ecommerce businesses. Show me a successful ecommerce business without an email list and I’ll send you a video of me moonwalking in the market.

It’s almost impossible. If you have email marketing skills you should consider offering email marketing services to ecommerce business owners.

They will need you to help them with tasks like creating and managing email campaigns, segmenting email lists, designing email templates, and analyzing campaign performance. 

If you know anything about email marketing, you know how effective personalization and targeting can be. With email marketing you can reach their customers directly, promote products etc.. This will help them nurture leads, build relationships, and increase their bottom line.

8. Content Creation

Content is king in the world of ecommerce, and ecommerce business owners need help with creating high-quality content that resonates with their target audience. As a virtual assistant, you can write blog posts, product descriptions, and marketing copy, as well as create multimedia content such as videos, gifs and infographics. 

By producing compelling and informative content, you’ll help ecommerce businesses attract and engage customers, drive traffic to their website, and increase conversions. Your creativity and storytelling skills will be instrumental in helping ecommerce businesses stand out in a crowded marketplace.

9. SEO Optimization

Have you ever wondered why some ecommerce websites appear at the top of search engine results when you’re searching for a product to buy? 

It’s all thanks to the magic of search engine optimization (SEO). Ecommerce business owners need help with optimizing their website and product listings for search engines to improve visibility and attract organic traffic.

SEO for product listings is easy. A few tweaks here and there and Google will prefer showing their product over their competitors own.

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you’ll conduct keyword research, optimize product listings, create SEO-friendly content, and implement on-page and off-page SEO strategies. This will drive organic traffic to their site, increase their online visibility and grow their customer base.

10. Data Analysis and Reporting

Numbers don’t lie – and ecommerce business owners rely on data analysis and reporting to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and make informed business decisions.

As a virtual assistant, you’ll generate reports, analyze data trends, and provide insights to help ecommerce businesses understand their customers, identify opportunities, and optimize their strategies. 

By turning raw data into actionable insights, you’ll help ecommerce businesses improve performance, increase efficiency, and achieve their goals.

11. Market Research

Understanding the market landscape is essential for ecommerce businesses to identify trends, assess competition, and identify opportunities for growth.

You can help ecommerce businesses to research market trends, analyze competitor strategies, and gather customer feedback to help them stay ahead of the curve. 

By providing valuable market insights and consumer behavior, you’ll help ecommerce businesses make informed decisions that will lead to profit.

12. Administrative Tasks

Last but certainly not least, ecommerce business owners have a myriad of administrative tasks that need to be managed on a daily basis. From email management and calendar management to data entry, virtual assistants play a crucial role in keeping ecommerce businesses running smoothly. 

As an ecommerce virtual assistant, you’ll handle administrative tasks effectively in order to allow ecommerce business owners to focus on other growth opportunities. By providing reliable and proactive support, you’ll help ecommerce businesses operate more effectively and achieve their goals.

How to Land Ecommerce Business Owners as Clients

Now that you understand the essential virtual assistant services needed by ecommerce business owners, let’s explore some strategies to help you land your dream clients.

Ready?

i.) Create a Niche

Specialize in a specific area of virtual assistant services, such as social media management or email marketing, to differentiate yourself from the competition and attract clients looking for specialized expertise.

You don’t need to offer all these services to ecommerce business owners. 

You can choose to offer only one service to ecommerce business owners and carve a niche for yourself there.

I used to offer only email marketing services to ecommerce business owners and it paid well. 

ii.) Build a Strong Online Presence

Showcase your skills, experience, and portfolio on professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn and Upwork. Create a professional website or portfolio to highlight your services and attract potential clients.

iii.) Network Strategically 

Join online communities, forums, and networking groups frequented by ecommerce business owners. Participate in discussions, share valuable insights, and build relationships with potential clients to increase your visibility and credibility.

iv.) Offer Free Resources

Create and share valuable resources, such as blog posts, webinars, or e-books, that address common challenges faced by ecommerce business owners. By providing free value upfront, you’ll demonstrate your expertise and attract potential clients to your services.

v.) Provide Exceptional Service

Deliver exceptional service and results to your existing clients to build a strong reputation and generate positive word-of-mouth referrals. Satisfied clients are more likely to recommend your services to other ecommerce business owners in their network.

Vi.) Attend Industry Events

Attend virtual conferences, trade shows, and industry events related to ecommerce to connect with potential clients and stay informed about industry trends and opportunities.

Vii.) Cold Outreach

Don’t be afraid to reach out directly to ecommerce business owners via email or LinkedIn. Personalize your outreach message, highlight your relevant experience and skills, and explain how you can help solve their specific pain points or challenges.

Viii.) Offer a Trial Period

Consider offering a trial period or pilot project to prospective clients to demonstrate the value of your services and build trust. This allows clients to experience firsthand the benefits of working with you before committing to a long-term engagement.

Related: How to market your VA business and get clients 

Must Have Skills For Ecommerce Virtual Assistants and Tools You Need To Master

1. Inbox management (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)
2. Calendar management (Google calendar)
3. Telemarketing
4. Data entry (Google sheets, Excel etc.)
5. Social media management (Instagram, Tiktok etc.) 
6. Email marketing (Klaviyo, MailChimp etc.)
7. Search engine optimization
8. Store setup (woocommerce, Shopify, Zoho commerce etc.)
9. Website optimization
10. Website maintenance

If you’d like to learn these skills and offer them to ecommerce business owners (and clients in other industries), I’m inviting you to my membership platform where I teach most of these skills for almost free.

Final Words

By implementing these strategies and offering specialized virtual assistant services tailored to the needs of ecommerce business owners, you’ll position yourself as a valuable partner and attract high-paying clients to grow your business and achieve your goals.

Becoming a mum is a huge blessing. That blessing can be life changing for a lot of people. I never went back to full-time employment after having my first child in 2021. With my new mum status came the need to have a flexible schedule and I didn’t have child care.

My little family of three lived in a one bedroom apartment, and that made it difficult to bring in a live-in nanny for my daughter. I couldn’t get a trust-worthy live-out nanny anywhere and heard stories from parents who had only bad experiences. Now I have a bigger apartment, two kids and a live-in nanny but I still don’t trust her to care for my kids the way I would. I think all mums secretly feel this way. The only person I trust to care for my kids the way I would, is my mum.

I work from home but watch my nanny like a hawk and constantly have to remind myself that outsourcing doesn’t make me a bad mum. 

Things might be the same or a little different for you. Maybe your pre-motherhood job was very demanding and you can’t bear to go back to it with a child in the picture. 

As a new Mum, you want to find ways to make money that fits your schedule and gives you time to attend to your child. Between feeding, diaper changes and all, it may be tough to squeeze out time for anything else. But if you want to bring in extra income without going back to paid employment, there are remote jobs you can do. Needless to say, many employers in Nigeria do not want to hire mum with little kids as they tend to have too much on their plates.

That said, work from home opportunities gives a high level of flexibility and is the perfect opportunity for new mums to make money. 

So if you are willing to put in some effort, and you have a phone or computer connected to the internet, there are ways to make money online as a new Mum.

6 Ways to  Start Making Money Online as a New Mum With No or Very Low Capital

1.) Virtual Tutoring

This is a good way to create convenient schedules and use your expertise in various areas from the comfort of your home. The good thing is that this doesn’t require a teaching certification like regular jobs. Virtual tutors in Math and other Physical sciences are always in high demand. There is also a growing opportunity in teaching English and indigenous languages (French, Igbo, Yoruba, German etc) online. Teaching online is a good way to earn money to cover your personal expenses. You can charge money depending on the age, number of students and subject. 

One mum of three that does it amazingly well is Chioma of Adaoma Igbo Language Services. Like me, Chioma is a medical laboratory scientist but quickly transitioned into online tutelage. She teaches Igbo language and has students from various continents. Chioma now earns in dollars, and even got a chance to refuse employment offers from medical laboratories she applied to when she hadn’t started virtual tutoring. Now she has the flexibility she needs to care for her kids and still contribute majorly to her family’s income.

I helped Chioma set up her virtual tutoring business in 2021, now she helps other language coaches set up their business, price, market, etc. If you’re looking to teach any Nigerian language online, contact Choma on Linkedin and be sure to tell her Rose of The Rosepreneur sent you. Her services are affordable and not free.

2.) Start a Blog

Starting your own blog is a great way to make money for new mums. You can blog about any area of interest from your Motherhood journey to Parenting, Fashion and Beauty. Once you gain followers, you can start monetizing your blog with affiliate marketing, ads or sponsored posts. That means you get paid to blog. This is not a fast way to make money and you’ll need to have SEO knowledge if you want to rank and grow fast. I only recommend this if you have a writing and or SEO background as well as a lot of time to explore before making money.

3.) Become a YouTube Creator

If you’re not a writer but love videos, then YouTube might be your jam. Starting a youtube account is free but you’ll need to invest in equipment like a microphone.  You don’t need expensive gadgets. If your smartphone has a good resolution, you can start with it and grow from there.

4.) Sell Digital Products

You can make money online as a new mum selling digital products like ebooks, workbooks etc. Consider writing an ebook on any topic you are knowledgeable on. Writing an ebook is not a difficult task. If you don’t want to start from scratch, you can enter prompts on chat gpt and get your complete ebook in one hour or less. Design your ebook using the free version of canva and sell on platforms like selar, paystack etc. 

5.) Become an Affiliate Marketer

As an affiliate marketer you don’t have to create anything. All you need to do is to find products other people have already created and market them. Once you are able to sell anything, you’ll get a percentage of the sale. You’re going to need basic knowledge of digital marketing if you want to see results fast.

Related: Passive income ideas for virtual assistants in Nigeria 

6.) Become a Virtual Assistant

This is top of the list of remote jobs you can do as a new mum. A virtual assistant performs remote tasks like handling emails, managing social media, writing and so much more in exchange for pay. All you need is being good in English and the ability to use a PC. The beauty of the job is that it can be done in your spare time and you determine how much work you want to do. 

The first thing I recommend you do is to look for transitional skills. Many aspiring virtual assistants I talk to feel that they have no skills. Most of them are wrong. The average educated adult has some skills that will come in handy in a virtual assistant career. Some of the skills they use in their 9-5 employment or even undergraduate program are in-demand for virtual assistants. 

5 Virtual Assistant Skills You Already Have That Can Help You Make Money Online As New Mum

i) If you’re good at writing, you could offer a wide variety of services like 

• Editing and Proofreading

Individuals and companies are always in need of editing and Proofreading services. So as a new mum, you can leverage on this. There are websites like upwork and indeed that you can sign up for that connect freelancers with clients. As you complete a project, you will get paid. 

• Content/Copy Writing

You can also get paid to write for blogs, websites or products/services for sale. This is another great way you can make money as a stay at home mum. You have the opportunity to work as much or as little as you want. You can just search for gigs that fit your schedule. 

ii) If you’re good at designing, you could offer a service like;

• Graphic design

If you have a creative background, then this is ideal for you. You can browse career websites for clients who need graphic designs like logos, business cards, webinar slides, e-books, etc. You can do your designs from home on your schedule.

iii.) If you have a background in customer service or executive assistance

You can offer services like executive inbox management, calendar management etc. This means you will be responsible for answering a client’s emails, managing their schedule, booking their flights etc.

iv) If you love social media

Then you can focus on just social media or even a single social media platform and grow from there. You’ll need to know how to create content – caption writing, graphic design, video editing for reels etc. 

Wrapping up

Sometimes, you may have just been helping out friends and family with those skills you feel it is not a big deal. But you need to realize that what is pretty basic for you might be mind-blowing for a prospective client so don’t look down on yourself! And if you don’t have a laptop or access to a desktop, here are some services you can offer on your smartphone.

So you have a lot of options when it comes to making money online as a new mum. The above are just some of the ways to get started. You can pick the ones that work best for you. So don’t feel stuck at home with no income, there are many opportunities to earn extra income. Whichever you choose, just make sure you enjoy it and get creative. 

If virtual assistance sounds like what you’d like to focus on, I can help. I’ll teach you digital skills as well as help you set up your own virtual assistant business. Click here to learn about how I can help you become a virtual assistant even if you don’t have any skills.

As a 9-5 worker, having an extra source of income in today’s world is a smart idea. It’s dangerous and difficult to rely on a single source of income with so many things to pay for and the job insecurity out there. 

So if you are looking for an extra source of income that will not require you quitting your current job, a Virtual Assistant business is a good area to look at. 

It is 100% possible to build a VA business, secure a client base and start making money while you still have your 9-5 job. 

To start with, Virtual assistants provide a wide range of online services to businesses and individuals so there’s always a chance that the skills you use in your 9-5 job might be useful .

It’s not just roses and wine. Successfully starting and managing a virtual assistant business requires a lot of focus, responsibility and time management. Even though you don’t need any special skills or degree to become a Virtual Assistant and it is a business anyone with a phone or laptop can start.

Related: How to become a virtual assistant in Nigeria

How long will it take to set up your virtual assistant business while in a 9-5 job?

How long it takes you to start and build your virtual assistant business while on your full time job is up to you. You also get to decide the number of clients to work with and how many hours you want to dedicate to it. 

As long as you are able to finish your clients tasks without excuses and constantly learn new skills to improve yourself, you’re sure to succeed in the industry. For your full time job, just make sure you don’t breach company policy, e.g find out if you are allowed to have another job. Once you have these in place, you’re good to go.

That said, 

Here Are 5 Tips To Help You Start Your Virtual Assistant Business When You Have A 9-5 Job

1.) Decide on the kind of services you want to provide.

Virtual Assistants provide a wide range of services so you need to be specific on which ones you want to provide. You can’t do it all and clients prefer to work with Virtual Assistants who are experts in an area. To help you decide on this, write down all your skills, it could be transferable skills from the job you currently have. 

This will help you identify which areas you’ll be good at. You can just pick one or two areas to specialize and build a reputation in that area. Select specifically the type of businesses you want to work with and be clear about it.

Pro tip: Try to stay away from providing services that require you to be available at specific times that coincide with your 9-5 job. For example, providing telemarketing services would require you to pick up the phone when it rings. Your 9-5 employers will surely not be pleased with this so keep that in mind. Instead go for jobs that rely on automation. So that you can work in advance and schedule it to go live while you are at work. A good example is email marketing. You can write and set up emails for your clients in advance and have them automatically published. Click here to sign up for my email marketing for virtual assistants course.

2.) Set-Up Your Business Systems

A lot of people forget this step. You need to set up your business step-by-step. Which tools will you use for bookings, invoicing, discovery calls etc. ? How will you onboard, off-board and manage clients?

All these things have to be in place. 

Some tools you need are:

• Calendly or Tidycal for bookings
• Paystack or Zoho invoice for invoicing and getting paid
• Zoom, Google meet or Zoho meeting for discovery calls
• Asana, Slack or even Gmail and WhatsApp for communicating with clients
• Signwell for signing contracts
• Virtual assistant agreement template to protect you and your business.

Further reading: See how much it cost to start a virtual assistant business in Nigeria  today

3.) Get a feasible Schedule

To succeed as a Virtual Assistant with your full time Job, you need to make time for your business. So find a solid schedule you can stick with. Your schedule should also make time for leisure and rest. 

Also, discuss your new side hustle with your loved ones because it will change your schedule and this means you will have less time with them. So let them understand your decision so they can support you.

4.) Set up a home office or workspace

Homes aren’t built for work, so you’ll need to make some changes to create an atmosphere that will be conducive enough for you to concentrate and be productive. So set up your workstation with a desk and chair. Then get a laptop for the job. A secluded spot in your house with good lighting, minimal noise and good ventilation is good enough. It doesn’t have to be fancy. I worked 90% from my bed 90% of the time in my first year as a virtual assistant. It is bad for your health but I had to make do. If you can get a table and chair, you are good to go. You should read up on the cost of starting a virtual assistant business.

5.) Market Your New Business

Now it’s time for you to tell people about your business. First, build business profiles on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter that will be visible to potential clients. This will depend on where your target clients spend most of their time. That’s why it is important to profile your ideal clients. You can also join Social media groups on Facebook to build relationships. 

Leverage the network you have in and outside your 9-5 job. Don’t keep your business a secret. Tell as many people as you can about it because they might know someone who needs your services. Optimize your linkedin profile to attract clients and create a virtual assistant portfolio even if you don’t have any clients yet.

Wrapping Up

You don’t need to quit your 9-5 job to start and manage a virtual assistant business. However, you need to prioritize and find balance in order not to make either your 9-5 job or virtual assistant career suffer.

If you need more hand holding in starting and/or managing your virtual assistant business, or feel like you don’t have the skills. I’m offering you a  free 15 minute clarity session. After the session, you’ll know which steps to take and get a clear blueprint of how to pick up skills, attract clients and get guidance from me. Click here to secure a spot.

A lot of aspiring virtual assistants stop in their tracks when they want to start working online. They feel that they can’t start without a laptop or desktop.

That is not true.

There are a couple of virtual assistant services you can offer with your smartphone. While there are other services that compulsorily require the use of a laptop or desktop. 

As you earn money offering services with your smartphone, you can use some of your earnings to get a laptop or desktop and increase the number of services you offer.

That said,

in this blog post, I’ll tell you about  7 virtual assistant services you can provide with your smartphone.

Read Also: Cost of starting a virtual assistant business in Nigeria

Here Are 7 Virtual Assistant Services You Can Offer With Your Smartphone

1.) Content Writing

You don’t necessarily need a laptop to write blog posts, emails, social media captions or even ghost write. These are all possible with your smartphone. Most smartphones have MS word and Google docs and these tools can be used for writing creative content for your client. 

You can use a content editing app like Grammarly to check your content to make sure your grammar is correct.

Besides, writing is among the top in demand skills clients look for and you can offer this service comfortably with your smartphone.

2.) Canva Graphic Design 

Smartphones support free tools like Canva which you can use to design graphic content for blog posts and social media etc. You can also use canva to slides for webinars, design flyers and logos, design ebooks, etc. So with your smartphone, you can become a canva graphic design VA.

3.) Social Media Management

With your mobile phone, you can provide social media management services like creating content for social media, managing social media accounts for clients, responding to social media messages and creating ads for social media. 

You can also use your smartphone to create content calendars for your client that shows you what to post and when.

4.) Basic Email Management

You can use your smartphone to write and reply to emails, schedule emails, flag important emails that must be handled by a client, unsubscribe from spam or unwanted email lists, and generally organise your client’s email box.

 However, you will need a laptop or desktop to set up filters, labels, email signature, templates etc. Some clients already have these set up so if that is the case you can comfortably use your smartphone for the day to day email management tasks.

5.) Content Repurposing Services

With your smartphone, you can repurpose content a client has already created into various forms to help them reach more people, save time, and share their knowledge in the format that appeals to different people on different platforms.  

For example, you can listen to and transcribe published podcast episodes into blog posts for clients. You can also repurpose podcast content by turning a short episode to a long and meaty piece for an ebook.

6.) Basic Research

As long as you can read this post, you can do basic research for clients. It could be anything from photo sourcing to finding and summarising information on Google.

7.) Calendar Management

You can use your smartphone to schedule appointments for clients, remind clients of appointments, etc. If you can use Google calendar, you can offer this service. Booking platforms like Calendly and Tidycal can be set up and used on your smartphone too.  

Final Words

There you go! Now you know that you can get your virtual assistant career going with just your smartphone. You don’t need a laptop to start. You can always get one with the money you earn while working as  a virtual assistant.

Are there other services you can provide with your phone not mentioned here?  Let me know in the comments.

Ready to start your own virtual assistant business? Click here to sign up for my free email course to learn how to make money online working as a virtual assistant.